Letter to the American Ambassador in Tirana
Following the recent events in Albania and especially the fabrication of lies in some of the country’s media against the ASILA, the CEO of the Iran Nejat Society wrote a letter to the American ambassador in Tirana on behalf of the concerned families and warned about the terrorist conspiracy of the MEK in Albania against former members in this country.
The text of the letter, which was sent to the Albanian and European authorities as well as the media, is as follows:
Honorable Ambassador of the United States in Tirana
Your Excellency Ms. Yuri Kim
Greetings and respect,
The United States Embassy in Albania issued a security alert on July 21, 2022, ahead of the gathering of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK) scheduled to take place in Manëz in Durrës on July 23-24. The embassy announced that there is a possible threat that may target the event and asked American citizens to avoid attending the gathering.
Of course, the American embassy and none of the American or non-American officials never clarified the nature of this potential threat, but the MEK immediately took advantage of this issue and pointed the finger of accusation at the former members of this organization. That is, those who no longer want to be terrorists and don’t want to live a cultic life and are separated from this organization and are busy with their normal life in Tirana. Leaving the organization is considered the highest guilt and sin one can commit in the cultic organization of the MEK, which the person deserves death.
During the past two months, the MEK has launched a wide propaganda against the Association for the Support of Iranians Living in Albania (ASILA) and its Albanian members and repeatedly accuses them of being terrorists. Unfortunately, some Albanian media knowingly or unknowingly fuel this atmosphere and actually put these people in serious danger.
On July 14, 2022, the Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) in Albania, based on a court order, inspected the workplaces and residences of ASILA members and took some of them to the police department to provide some explanations, and they were released the same day. Finally, in the police report that was given to ASILA, it is stated that no illegal items were found in the inspection of places, cars and equipment. Later it became clear that this action was carried out under provocations and false information from the MEK in Albania.
Unfortunately, some media under the influence of the MEK in Albania presented an image that a terrorist cell linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran was discovered, whose target was the MEK, and never mentioned the police report that no illegal cases were found.
Also, the entry of a number of former members of the MEK who were going to Tirana to participate in the wedding ceremony of another former member in Albania on Friday, July 29, 2022, was prevented by the Albanian police under the pretext of security threats from the MEK.
Two German citizens, Ms. Batul Soltani and Mr. Afshin Kalantari, refused to return to their country for 72 hours at the Tirana airport and demanded an explanation for this prevention. The German embassy also intervened and the Albanian police explained to the envoy of the German embassy that since the members of the MEK have appeared at the airport and threatened these people, they fear for their lives, and therefore for their own safety, it is better for them to return. They returned voluntarily.
But the propaganda machine of MEK, with the help of some ignorant or corrupt media in Albania, presented an image that two terrorists were arrested at Tirana airport, whose target was MEK, and were detained and interrogated for 72 hours and then deported, which was completely false.
In the third case, the members of ASILA participated in the book exhibition of Durrës in Hotel Arvi and presented 5 volumes of this association’s publications in Albanian language as well as posters to introduce the attractions of Iran with official permission. Qur’an, the holy book of the Muslims who make up the majority of the population of Albania, the poems of Omar Khayyam, the famous Iranian poet, the book “Karbala” written by Naim Frashëri, a famous Albanian poet and writer, a collection of poems by old Iranian poets, and the memoirs of Rahman Mohammadian, a former member of the MEK.
The agents of the MEK, as it is clear in the published videos, attacked this book stand and its curators with rude words and destroyed it. In order to avoid conflict, ASILA authorities moved their stall to the nearby park under the protection of the police, where the elements of the MEK attacked the book stall with more intensity, even in front of the police, as seen in the videos, and the books, including the Qu’ran, were destroyed. And they tore the posters and even damaged and insulted the Albanian national flag, as a result of which 11 of them were arrested.
However, some current Albanian media, whose honesty and ignorance can no longer be trusted, presented an image as if the members of ASILA, who have no support in Albania, had a plan to assassinate members of the MEK in Manëz on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It has become clear to everyone that the MEK in Albania engages in illegal activities such as arms, drugs, and human trafficking, as well as money laundering, etc., but unfortunately, it is said that since this organization has the support of the American Embassy in Tirana it can easily escape from trial and execution of justice and continue his illegal actions. Cases such as even murders in the isolated and remote camp of this organization, which the Albanian government has no control over, have been reported. Unfortunately, after a while, the Albanian police kept all the cases silent and stopped the investigation.
The actions of the MEK against the Association for the Support of Iranians Living in Albania (ASILA) started with legal cover-ups and continued by preventing the former members from entering and finally attacking their book stall. The continuation of this propaganda process will lead to the assassination of Albanian and non-Albanian members of ASILA.
The fact is that the MEK, according to the reports of those who managed to escape, is involved in severe internal crises, and now hundreds of people want to separate, and these people see ASILA as a point of hope for their liberation, and Maryam Rajavi’s meetings with the likes of Mike Pompeo and Mike Pence has not been able to calm down and convince the people with problems, and therefore, based on its terrorist nature, this organization will find the solution to physically eliminate ASILA officials.
It is very clear that the propaganda of the last two months is to smooth the terror plans, so that if there is an assassination attempt, based on the mentality that has been built during this time, it will be said that the terrorist agents of the Islamic Republic were killed during an operation.
On behalf of the extremely concerned families in Iran, I request you, as a person who is known to have influence in Albania, to use all your capacities in this country and not allow a number of helpless Iranians along with some benefactor Albanians who support them, become victims of a terrorist cult.
I am eagerly awaiting your response
Sincerely Yours,
Ebrahim Khodabandeh
CEO of Iran Nejat Society